She could ignore the violent tendencies she had seen—that had only been toward Lord Milton, whom no one could ever say had not deserved to be thrown from Harlston Manor. She had even been grateful for Lord Woodsford’s handling of that situation when it had happened. She couldn’t very well turn around and be angry about it now, could she?
She wouldn’t end their courtship over one bad day in her aunt’s sitting room. Anyone could have a bad day, after all.
And yet… he’d said, even then, that he was having financial difficulties. That should have been the warning that she heeded. She’d failed to do so.
Valeria stared up at her ceiling.
There was a knock at her door. She ignored it.
“Valeria?”
It was Duncan. His voice was quiet, as if he wasn’t sure whether or not she might be sleeping, and he didn’t want to disturb her.
Valeria remained quiet. She wasn’t ready to see or speak to her cousin. After all, Lord Woodsford was his close friend, and she was sure Duncan would stick up for him. She didn’t want to listen to his defenses of Lord Woodsford.
After a few moments, Duncan seemed to decide she was asleep. She heard his footsteps moving away down the hall.
Valeria pressed the palms of her hands over her eyes. She couldn’t believe that everything had gone so wrong so quickly.
I hope Aunt Alberta is willing to get me out of this mess. I never want to see Lord Woodsford again.
Chapter 27
“Aunt Alberta,” Valeria said, summoning all the courage she possessed, “we have to talk. We have to have a conversation about Lord Woodsford.”
Aunt Alberta sighed. “I can’t pretend I didn’t know that it was coming,” she said. “Come in and sit down, Valeria, dear.”
Valeria made her way into the sitting room, only to check herself at the threshold.
Duncan was in the room. He was standing beside the window, gazing out over the grounds. She hadn’t much fancied the idea of having this conversation in front of him. She had no idea how he might respond to the knowledge that she was no longer interested in being courted by his friend. Would he be angry? Maybe he would try to talk her out of her decision.
Already, he wasn’t looking at her. Had he anticipated this, as Aunt Alberta so obviously had? Was he already angry?
She moved into the room and took a seat, her courage already failing her. She felt unsure of what she should do.
“Perhaps—perhaps we could speak privately, Aunt Alberta,” she suggested.
“Your cousin will know what we’ve said soon enough,” Aunt Alberta pointed out. “You might as well speak openly in front of him. There is no point in trying to keep a secret.”
Valeria sighed. Her aunt was right, she knew. It was just very difficult to bring herself to speak openly in front of Duncan.
And that was one of the saddest parts of all of this. Duncan had always been someone she had been able to talk to, much closer to her than her own brother had been. This misguided courtship had changed things between the two of them, maybe forever. It was a terrible thought.
“You know what I’m going to say,” she said to her aunt.
Aunt Alberta nodded. “I believe I do,” she said. “But I will ask you to say it anyway.”
“It’s Lord Woodsford,” Valeria said.
Duncan’s shoulders tensed, but he said nothing. He didn’t even turn to look at her.
“What about him?” Aunt Alberta asked.
Valeria steeled herself. “I wish to end our courtship.”
Duncan still didn’t look her way, but Valeria could tell that he was listening carefully.
“I had a feeling you would,” Aunt Alberta said.
